Chapter 6: Monster

Rocket felt his muscles relax a bit when the hot water hit his shoulders. How did this happen? He deliberates with himself. It had happen so fast, he and Sonny were trying to make plans on how to tell the other pirates the situation when Dame Simbai suddenly beep them and told them to get to Tia's room asap.

Rocket and Sonny ran full speed down to the medical room; it didn't take long to hear the screams of anger and distress coming from Tia's room. They could hear Dame Simbai trying to plead with her to calm down but it seemed to have no success.

"What's going on?" Sonny demanded, when Rocket and Sonny entered the room. The commotion died down for a few seconds when Tia and Dame Simbai turned to see who had entered the room. Rocket's heart twisted when he saw Tia's face streaked with tears.

"How could you not tell me?" She accused, pointing her finer at him in an accusing manner. Her finger was shaking with intense fury. "How could you not tell me I'm a monster?" and with all her might threw a holo-player at Rocket. He managed to dodge the attack just in time as it went flying past his head. Before it crashed on the floor Sonny managed to catch it and began to examine the device.

"Tia please..." Rocket tried to beg but Tia instantly cut him off.

"Get out, get out!" She screamed and began to throw random objects, forcing everyone to retreat from the room. When the door closed behind them, they listened for a moment and could hear only silence, then they could hear Tia muffled sobs behind the door.

"How the hell did she find out?" Rocket shouted at Dame Simbai, she didn't answer straight away because she was in shock with Rocket's sudden outburst. Rocket had to admit that he was shocked himself because he was always able to control his emotions. But seeing Tia like that; angry at him when all he wanted to do was protect her hit him hard in the gut.

"I don't know," Dame Simbai stammered out when she overcame her shock and tried to explain. "We were talking about the Wambas planet and my time there and she asked if she could see any pictures, so I left to get them. I swear I was only gone for a minute but when I came back I found her distress and vomiting in the toilet. I don't know how she found out" Rocket calmed down a little after that, so if Dame Simbai didn't tell her how did she find out?

"I think I know." Sonny answered, like he was reading Rockets mind. How does he do that? He thought as he turned to face Sonny. "Someone showed her."Sonny showed them the holo-player that Tia had chucked at him. He turned it around so they could watch Tia being dragged away by two of Bleylocks men; suddenly a blue energy surrounds and explodes, wiping out everyone in the area.

Rocket slammed his fist into the wall. He was going to kill the sick son of a bitch for telling her and he was sure that bastard was Sinedd. But he couldn't do anything about it. Sonny had also guess it was Sinedd as well but they had no evidence to back up their points. They had checked security cameras but they had found the guards knocked out and the tapes erased. How could he do it? She had done nothing wrong. Yes, she did kill those people but she didn't want to or mean to. Her actions for the past week had shown that, she had refused to see anyone or eat anything. Dame Simbai was getting so desperate that she had started to count the peas to see if Tia even nicked one. But every time she went to check on her (when she was asleep because she would let no one in when she was awake) she found everything still there; including the peas. He wished he could do something but there was nothing he could do, he had tried talking to her but all she would do was start chucking stuff at him. Besides, how could anyone judge her when each man on this ship had killed hundreds more of Bleylocks men in similar circumstances? He was just glad no one judge her because of it. The men on the ship were a little scared of her at first but when they heard what she was doing to herself everyone felt pity for her. It was because of her that she had helped turn the tides of the war on to their side and not to mention saved Rockets life. He finished his shower and put some fresh clothes on. He needed to think of some plan to talk to Tia.

"Well Rocket, it's nice to find out you decide to wash every now and again." Sinedd smirked from the doorway. Anger burned through Rocket but he forced himself to stay calm and ignore, which was hard to do when Sinedd was standing beside him. "You know I feel kind of sorry for you Rocket, I mean you actually find yourself a girlfriend and she turns out to be a murderous whore." Everything happened in a blur at that moment. Sinedd found himself forced against the wall with a knife to his throat.

"You sick son of a bitch, how could you say that after everything you're putting her through." Rocket snapped as he pressed the knife closer to his throat. He probably would have ripped his throat out there and then if D'jok and Micro-Ice hadn't stopped him.

"Rocket stopped" Micro-Ice shouted, as D'jok pulled Rocket away from Sinedd.

"You crazy bastard." Sinedd shouted when Rocket was standing safely away from him, rubbing his neck to check that the knife didn't pierce his skin. Realising what he did Rocket began to calm down but just enough so he could think straight. He still wanted to rip Sinedd's neck out. Sinedd started screaming abuse at him but Micro-Ice lead Rocket away while D'jok dealt with Sinedd. Every step he took, Rocket's fury began to die down, until there was barely any left.

"Rocket, what happened back there?" Micro-Ice asked. It took Rocket a moment to actually respond to the question but before had a chance D'jok answer it for him.

"It's because he insulted Tia." D'jok spoke walking up behind him, nearly scaring both of them to death.

"I swear D'jok you have got to stop hanging out with your dad; seriously, you're nearly as bad at sneaky up on people like he is." Micro-Ice complained. Now usually Rocket would complain and say he was being a drama queen. But it was on occasions like this, he had to agree with him. D'jok only rolled his eyes at Micro-Ices comment.

"Micro-Ice, I share half of his DNA, of course I'm going to inherit some of traits." D'jok joked. Micro-Ice made some kind of face but a smile still crept on to his face. Despite the anger that was still burning inside Rocket couldn't help but let out a little smile as well. But the atmosphere turned serious again when D'jok turned to Rocket and said. "You need to talk to Tia."

"I know but she hates me." Rocket stated miserably. At first he had no idea why but from what he could make out from her screams she called him a liar. It took him a few days to realise what she meant. She had been beaten and abused for two years and when she turned to help, no one even tried. So when Rocket came along and rescued her, she began to trust again. But when he didn't tell her that she killed a lot of people -even if they were going to throw her in a dungeon- she felt betrayed that she had done something so horrible and hadn't been told about it. Dame Simbai had said that she had been through a lot and was highly unstable at the moment but Rocket couldn't help but think there was something else behind it.

"I know, but I think you're the one that can reach her." D'jok explained, breaking through Rockets thoughts, before he could ask why D'jok interrupted him again. "Don't ask me why call it gut instinct, now will you go to her please." After he said that something inside Rocket changed. He quickly muttered something that he even didn't understand and he marched his way to the medical room. D'jok and Micro-Ice could only smile when they saw the new determination in Rockets face.

"He is totally in love with that girl." Micro-Ice laughed, as he watched Rocket disappear down the hall. D'jok could only smile at Micro-Ices comment. They had both known Rocket since they started nursery and had been inseparable ever since, along with their other friends that sadly weren't here. They also knew he was too stubborn to fall in love but there was something about Rocket that made the guys think that this time was different.

"Speaking of love and DNA, how are you and dad holding up." Micro-Ice asked.

"Excited as usual, he can't wait to get back to mum," D'jok laughed at the memory of his father when the navigator came in and announced they would be home tomorrow, "and I can't wait to see Mei and little Rosie." He laughed at another memory of how he reacted when he had found out as well.

"I know what you mean man, I can't wait to get home and see Yuki again." Micro-Ice smiled as he thought of his love waiting for him at home. After day dreaming about their love ones at home for a little while they headed towards the lunch room to get something to eat and hoped that Rocket and Tia would be ok.

This was not going well. Dame Simbai had left to give him and Tia some alone time but so far he had not built up the nerves to even enter the room. Well, if I'm going to do this I might as well do it now, Rocket argued with himself. Taking a deep breath Rocket finally managed to open the door, he stayed low just in case Tia chucked something at him. But when he didn't hear anything slam against the wall he became suspicious. Quietly opening the door; Rocket peeped through the door. He saw Tia soundlessly asleep. Closing the door as quietly as he could behind him, Rocket tipped toed over to Tia's bed and sat in one of the seats next to the bed. His heart twisted painfully when he saw her appearance (he hadn't been able to see her probably because he was too busy dodging objects) her creamy complexion was a sickly pale, bags hang from her eyes from no sleep and her slim complexion had turned into a skeleton. Tia what have you been doing to yourself, Rocket thought, as he brushed a bit of hair out her face. He decided to let her sleep since it looked like she needed it. He spent his time watching her sleep, since he had nothing better to do. The clock turned from six to eight o'clock slowly but Rocket continued to watch her sleep. Dame Simbai walked in a few times to check on them but despite that Rocket had no one to talk to. A loud yawn escaped his lips and pushed his dreadlocks back. A sudden scream caught Rockets, when he looked up he saw that Tia's breathing had grown rapidly, her eyes were firmly shut and she kept muttering things in her sleep. Rocket learnt forward and grabbed Tia's hand.

"Tia wake up." He whispered gently, she seemed to calm down for a minute but then it started again, this time ten times worse.

"No, please don't." She begged tears began to pour from her closed eyes. Rocket honestly didn't know what to do, he kept trying to shake her awake but she won't wake up. She just kept pleading and begging for someone to stop.

"Tia, please wake up!" Rocket shouted giving her another shake. Thankfully this time Tia woke up. "Tia, are you all right?" He asked but Tia instantly pushed him away.

"Please go away, please." She begged, while she cried to herself. Despite what she said Rocket was not going to leave her along; especially in this condition.

"Tia, I'm sorry I lied to you but I was only trying to protect you. Please don't think you're some kind of monster because you aren't." He tried to plead with her. Rocket thought it worked for a second when she seemed to calm down for a second.

"You just don't get it; I was monster even before I killed all those men." She whispered and instead of crying again she froze like she had just died or something.

"How could you say that?" Rocket cried out, as anger soared through his body again. "You've done nothing to call yourself a monster; you've having been suffering beatings and rape for two years, why do you call yourself that?" He demanded the next thing she said was nothing he was expecting but it sent shock waves through his body when she shrieked it out in a deep pain that had been haunting her for nearly two years.

"Because I killed my baby!"